We’ve written on this subject multiple times, but it never becomes less important. Recently, we’ve seen quite a few clients choose to go without an inspection on a new build home and we’re concerned it may be a growing trend. A general home inspection (and at times other key inspections like pool, HVAC, well, septic, etc.) is an essential part of the home buying process. Common wisdom is that when you inspect an older home you will find problems – no home is perfect. We’d like to make it common wisdom that if you inspect any home, old or new, you will find problems. It’s just a fact of life.

We could write lists of things we’ve discovered on inspections at new homes: windows not caulked and sealed, fireplaces built in the wrong place, missing wiring, wrong appliances, broken appliances, exterior walls missing insulation, dangerous wiring improperly done, doors you couldn’t open, windows installed crooked…it’s an endless list. Pointing this out is not to say all builders are bad, but rather all builders are human. Ever have a bad day at work and know your focus isn’t solid like it should be? Ever had family stuff distract you from the work in front of you? Ever just flat out forget a key step in what you do day in and day out and realize it days later after it’s too late to correct? It happens to all of us.

Inspections allow you a second set of eyes to look at the things. They allow you an independent opinion of the house. All builders go through their own inspection processes, but those inspections are designed to benefit them, not you. That’s not to say they’re shady and one big set up, it’s just that we all have our focus – the builder’s is not exactly the same as yours.

An inspection will cost you money, but the money you spend will save you money by finding the problems before they become big problems later. Talk to your agent about getting an inspection and if your builder discourages you from getting one, let the red flags wave.

Heed this advice – it could save you a lot of money.

This question comes up time and time again in talking with clients thinking of buying a new home. Because it’s new construction, it’s brand new and nothing is wrong with it…right? One thing we notice is that many buyers of newly constructed homes are looking to save a little money as they are spending a large sum today, for a house they can live in tomorrow.

Which costs more: A stage-by-stage inspection or finding out the foundation guys didn’t let your foundation cure properly? An electrician who had a “few too many” the night before that forgot to cap a wire and it didn’t get caught by the building inspector (who inspects thousands of these exact same homes and sometimes doesn’t do much more than a quick walk-through)…sheetrock goes up and that loose wire burns your home down one night while you’re out? Or (and this happens often enough that it shocks me), while insulating the exterior walls of your home, someone “forgets” to do one of the walls? Years later while you’re replacing the siding you realize why your electric bills were so high.

These little missteps can cost you big dollars down the road. Even the best builders make mistakes. Having a stage-by-stage inspection done by a qualified inspector who works for you (and not the builder) is crucial to having the best home you can have.

Builders do inspections in stages too, but remember those inspectors (although meant to be impartial) do these all day for the builder – they are on the builder’s payroll. They are not looking for the long term business, because they already have that with the builder. Much like a real estate agent, a good inspector wants your business today and tomorrow, so they should be doing an amazing job today, so you’ll think of them in the future when you buy another home.

Let me sum it up for everyone:

Do not rely on a builder’s inspections. Hire an inspector and tell them you want a stage-by-stage inspection of your new home as it is being built.

If you’re a home buyer in San Antonio and are thinking about new construction, contact us and we will be happy to give you the names of several qualified inspectors to choose from.

Home Inspections: Protect Your Purchase

Home inspections are a no-brainer. Yet, time and time again, we hear about buyers who try to save a few dollars and wind up with a mess that could have been prevented. Home inspections are not meant to be a guarantee, but they will give you a lot of great information and help find potential problems. Not all these problems are necessarily deal breakers and some are simple, easy fixes that take moments, but will save you from a nightmare later on down the line. Regardless of the age of the home (even if it’s not even built yet), you should always have a home inspected, there’s a reason the FHA has a form titled “For Your Protection Get a Home Inspection.”

I regularly read a blog written by an inspector and friend of mine, Charles Buell (the man shown in the photo). Charles doesn’t work here in San Antonio, but is out in Seattle, WA. Some of the issues he visits in his blog are the same as ours here in South Texas, some are not. Regardless, I find his blog to be a great source of information about the little details that a great inspector is looking for. If you enjoy the photo of him in the crawl space, take a look at his blog for some amazing photos.

In a post we recently read, Charles talks about a few things that we find can be very helpful to remind a buyer of before they go into an inspection:

No house is perfect.This even applies to new construction. Just because it’s new, doesn’t mean everyone did a perfect job.

Nothing lasts forever.Something will always need fixed or replaced.

Everything can be fixed or replaced.And it’s not necessarily going to be the seller’s job to do so.

Rats are everywhere.You might as well add a veritable host of strange critters to the list since we live in San Antonio.

Roofs leak.And they only leak when it rains, which is awfully inconvenient.

Wood destroying organisms and mold are everywhere and waiting for a place to happen.Knowing who to call and how to help avoid them is the trick.

Neighbors happen.Do what I do and kill them with kindness (although I haven’t had a bad one in quite some time).

It is your job to decide what “works” for you – it is not the inspector’s job – it is not the agent’s job – it is not your parent’s job.Much as only you can truly decide if a house is a good value, we can give you the facts and figures, but if you want it bad enough, you’ll pay what you think it’s worth.

The hardest part of home inspections is understanding that although something may be listed in the report as “deficient,” it doesn’t have to be a deal breaker. The inspection should happen during the “option period” of your contract (a negotiable amount of time). By getting it done during this time, the buyer is able to walk away with losing their earnest money if they and the seller can’t come to an agreement over any requested repairs. Although we know most people want their house perfect when they move in, like many things in life, it’s all about choosing your battles. Do you really want to lose the home that just a few days ago you loved, all because a seller refuses to fix the dripping faucet?

A good inspector should be detail-oriented and willing to take the time to explain things in plain English. First inspection I attended, the T&P valve was broke. The buyer’s inspector took the time to explain what it is, why it mattered, and what the recommended fix was (replacing it). He then followed up with why and how they break. That kind of information empowers the buyer for the future and is about as valuable as gold. If your inspector doesn’t want to answer your questions so that you’re comfortable in knowing what the outcome of the inspection is, then you don’t have a very good inspector.

If you need recommendations for an inspector, ask you Realtor, we work with many great inspectors that can help you. Have more questions? You can always contact us.

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